Buying into good cheer in Somersworth

Something special is happening in downtown Somersworth, a place that’s had its share of business turnover and potholes the last few years.

Three young city natives are using their passion for the community and unique expertise to open a place for others like them to hang out. Not only do they foresee it keeping residents in town and spending, but also as a catalyst for other small business development.

By spring, Leaven Beer and Bread House will open at a yet-to-be-announced location if Emmett Soldati, Patrick Jackman and Aidan Watson see their plans through.

Given progress so far it’s almost a given it will happen.

When it does, the three former Hilltop School buddies who left to get university educations and now have returned, envision a “hip ... community hub.” A place where the many young educated people in the area can gather at night for live music, literary readings and good cheer.

The bread and beer house will offer freshly baked sourdough breads and more, courtesy of bread lover Soldati. Also, craft beers on tap overseen by brew connoisseur Watson, who will manage the establishment.

The fact that Leaven is well on its way to reality is due in part to Jackman, a business consultant, who is overseeing an alternative method of funding the venture that turns residents into investors in its success.

It takes a page from “crowd sourcing,” which allows the public to make small pledges on websites to fund business ventures -- and tweaks it. At the Leaven website, www.leavennh.com, you can buy vouchers in $100, $200 and $500 amounts. For your investment you receive gift certificates each month toward purchases of beer, bread and more while hanging out at Leaven.

In addition to a guaranteed share of high-quality food, drink and comradery, voucher holders get credits worth 20 percent more than the purchase price. What a deal to create a comfy local bar where everyone will know your name.

“It engages the public, lets people feel they’re part (of the enterprise),” explains Jackman. Which of course they will be.

It’s a beautiful finance model that turns customers into drinking buddies. It also gets around the traditional loan where start-ups have to plead with bankers to believe in a dream.

Often, without a track record, such dreams are turned down.

The partners figure they will need $10,000 sold in vouchers to open the place. After a startup fundraising party last month and almost a month of word-of-mouth solicitation they are halfway there, reported Soldati last week.

They’ll combine the community’s voucher sales with $20,000 from their own pockets and those of other investors for the $30,000 they figure they’ll need to make it happen.

Soldati said another encouraging development is a developer has contacted them about a location he’d like to see Leaven occupy. More proof that once people hear the story, they want to jump on board.

There is just something special about Somersworth that has attracted this trio of enthusiastic young businessmen.

Portsmouth and Dover have survived the great recession and are poised to boom again. The Somersworth downtown has been overshadowed by its larger neighbors. It has stayed affordable and represents an opportunity as the Seacoast grows, said Soldati, who seized a part of it already when he opened his Tea Totaller eatery across from the GE plant on Main Street.

“We really love Somersworth,” summed up Jackman.

Soon, they’ll be able to toast to that sentiment at the city’s newest establishment. If you also want a place to hang out close to home, buy into their dream at www.leavennh.com.